1998 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

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Map of the results for the 1998 Solihull council election. Solihull UK local election 1998 map.png
Map of the results for the 1998 Solihull council election.

The 1998 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Campaign

Before the election the Conservative party held 17 seats, compared to 16 for Labour and 12 Liberal Democrats. [4] However the council was run by the Labour party who governed with an agreement with the Liberal Democrats. [4] With the split in seats between the parties the council was expected to remain without any party having a majority with Labour defending 6 seats, compared to 5 for the Conservatives and 4 for the Liberal Democrats. [5] Meanwhile, the independent candidates who were defending a seat in Shirley South and 2 seats in Shirley West ward were expected to come under pressure. [4] During the campaign another independent councillor Trevor Eames, who was not defending a seat in the election, resigned from the council after being jailed for 7 years causing a by-election to be held later in the summer. [6]

Election result

The results saw all 3 independents who were defending seats defeated, reducing the number of Independent Ratepayers on the council to 2. [7] Labour gained 1 seat from the independents in Shirley West, while the Conservative took the other 2 in Shirley South and Shirley West. [7] [8] The Conservatives also won a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Packwood ward, with the former leader of the council Ken Meeson being returned to the council. [7] Overall turnout in the election was 29%, varying between a high of 40% and a low of 15% in Smithswood ward. [9]

Following the election the Conservatives elected a new group leader, Ted Richards, after the previous leader Ron Herd stepped down. [10] However, despite holding 20 seats, compared to 17 for Labour and 11 for the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives remained in opposition, with Labour running the council with support from the Liberal Democrats. [11]

Solihull Local Election Result 1998 [12]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 830+344.445.020,883+7.9%
  Labour 710+138.925.411,809-1.5%
  Liberal Democrats 301-116.723.310,831-2.4%
Independent Ratepayers & Residents002-20.04.62,132-3.4%
  Independent 001-10.01.7767+1.2%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections : [1] [8]

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Conservatives1720
Labour1617
Liberal Democrat1211
Independent Ratepayers & Residents53
Independent10
Total5151
Working majority -17  -11 

Ward results

Bickenhill [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Ryan2,03658.5+21.4
Conservative Robert Sleigh1,27836.7-11.6
Liberal Democrats D. Moore1674.8-1.8
Majority75821.8+10.6
Turnout 3,48135.3+0.7
Labour hold Swing +16.5
Castle Bromwich [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Beryll Kellie1,71762.1+2.4
Labour Ann Wood79928.9-2.5
Liberal Democrats John Knight2519.1+0.1
Majority91833.2+5.0
Turnout 2,76729.5-8.1
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
Chelmsley Wood [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Robert Reed88369.6-3.6
Conservative Graham Juniper28022.1+3.2
Liberal Democrats Olive Hogg1058.3+0.4
Majority60347.6-6.8
Turnout 1,26816.6-5.2
Labour hold Swing -3.4
Elmdon [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sheila Brookes1,43151.0-4.0
Conservative John Bramham1,15341.1+4.9
Liberal Democrats Barbara Harber2217.9-1.0
Majority2789.9-8.9
Turnout 2,80536.1-7.4
Labour hold Swing -4.4
Fordbridge [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arthur Harper61868.4-2.2
Conservative Neil Archer20923.1+5.8
Liberal Democrats Bernard Wright778.5+1.5
Majority40945.2-8.0
Turnout 90414.4-6.6
Labour hold Swing -4.0
Kingshurst [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jeffrey Potts52644.4-20.9
Independent ResidentsBrian Carter38332.3+32.3
Conservative D. Cleghorn22719.1-7.0
Liberal Democrats Christopher Hayes504.2-4.4
Majority14312.1-27.1
Turnout 1,18620.9-5.0
Labour hold Swing -26.6
Knowle [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Diana Holl-Allen1,79262.3-1.4
Labour David George63522.1+9.3
Liberal Democrats Brenda Chapple44815.6-7.9
Majority1,15740.2-0.1
Turnout 2,87532.4-5.0
Conservative hold Swing -5.3
Lyndon [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Norman Chapple1,33156.4-1.6
Conservative Neill Watts67728.7+6.3
Labour John Kimberley35114.9-4.6
Majority65427.7-7.9
Turnout 2,35930.3-7.1
Conservative hold Swing -3.9
Meriden [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Lea1,99068.9+31.0
Labour Kenneth Harrop55119.1-3.9
Liberal Democrats Richard Morris34712.0-0.6
Majority1,43949.8+38.5
Turnout 2,88832.6-8.6
Conservative hold Swing +17.4
Olton [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats John Windmill1,71051.9-0.9
Conservative Donald Jones1,14534.8-5.1
Labour Donald Bargery2838.6+1.3
Independent RatepayersDavid Bayliss1564.7+4.7
Majority56517.1+4.2
Turnout 3,29436.4-6.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.1
Packwood [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Kenneth Meeson2,11951.7+5.2
Liberal Democrats Peter Lee1,78343.5-4.8
Labour Frederick Nash1994.9-0.4
Majority3368.2+6.4
Turnout 4,10140.0-3.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +5.0
Shirley East [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Southcombe1,54747.7-2.0
Conservative Susan Rosten1,24038.2+1.3
Labour James Burman3219.9-3.5
Independent RatepayersRobert Gill1354.2+4.2
Majority3079.5-3.3
Turnout 3,24335.1-6.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.6
Shirley South [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Evans1,44440.5+40.5
Independent RatepayersRichard Jackson1,11431.3-30.3
Labour Bernard McElholm68319.2-3.8
Liberal Democrats Eric Widger3239.1-6.4
Majority3309.3-29.4
Turnout 3,56427.1-2.9
Conservative gain from Independent Ratepayers Swing +35.4
Shirley West [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Lewis1,04032.7+32.7
Labour Peter Metcalfe84426.5+0.1
Conservative Stuart Davis822
Independent Brenda Otton76724.1+24.1
Independent Jean Duddy569
Labour Marcus Brain541
Independent RatepayersJohn Rogers34410.8-52.0
Liberal Democrats Linda Whitlock1895.9-4.9
Majority1966.2-30.3
Turnout 3,18429.6-2.5
Conservative gain from Independent Swing +16.2
Labour gain from Independent Ratepayers Swing
Silhill [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Sheila Pittaway1,70447.4-0.5
Liberal Democrats David Puckering1,50441.8+4.0
Labour Richard Sumner38910.8-3.4
Majority2005.6-4.5
Turnout 3,59736.6-4.5
Conservative hold Swing -2.2
Smith's Wood [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hugh Hendry86170.1-3.8
Conservative Timothy Vernon26121.3+3.8
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Wright1068.6-0.1
Majority60048.9-7.6
Turnout 1,22815.3-7.3
Labour hold Swing -3.8
St. Alphege [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Kathleen Wild2,60770.9+7.3
Liberal Democrats J. Herbert67218.3-5.4
Labour Arthur Brill39910.8-1.9
Majority1,93552.6+12.7
Turnout 3,67833.1-5.4
Conservative hold Swing +6.3

By-elections between 1998 and 1999

Shirley South by-election 16 July 1998 [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Boy1,07044.8+4.3
Independent RatepayerJohn Rogers61225.6-5.7
Labour Bernard McElholm43718.3-0.9
Liberal Democrats Eric Widger1767.4-1.7
Democratic Reform AssociationBrenda Otton923.8+3.8
Majority45819.2+9.9
Turnout 2,38717.7-9.4
Conservative gain from Independent Ratepayers Swing +5.0

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References

  1. 1 2 "Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results". The Guardian . 9 May 1998. p. 16.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Solihull M. B. C. Election Results Sheet, 7 May 1998", Solihull M.B.C.(1998).
  3. ↑ "Vote 2012: Solihull". BBC News Online . Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Shirley in spotlight". Birmingham Mail . 7 April 1998. p. 25.
  5. ↑ Harrison, Stephen (1 May 1998). "Tories could unseat Labour at Solihull Voters across the West Midlands go to the polls in local elections next Thursday. Today, Local Government Correspondent Stephen Harrison looks at the fight for votes in Solihull and Coventry". Birmingham Post . p. 4.
  6. ↑ Swingler, Steve (21 April 1998). "Eames: No appeal over verdict". Birmingham Mail . p. 13.
  7. 1 2 3 Swingler, Steve (8 May 1998). "Backlash hits independents". Birmingham Mail . p. 7.
  8. 1 2 Swingler, Steve (8 May 1998). "Damning verdict for Independents after Eames scandal". Birmingham Mail . p. 3.
  9. ↑ Gray, Chris (9 May 1998). "Voters and politicians are polls apart People once died to be able to vote. Chris Gray wonders why now they cannot even be bothered to walk to a polling booth". Birmingham Post . p. 61.
  10. ↑ Ilyas, Mohammed (9 May 1998). "New leader to help Tories reclaim borough". Birmingham Post . p. 4.
  11. ↑ "Tories look on bright side". Birmingham Mail . 11 May 1998. p. 14.
  12. ↑ "Local Elections results". The Times . 9 May 1998. p. 46.
  13. ↑ Swingler, Steve (17 July 1998). "Comeback for Otton ends in failure". Birmingham Post . p. 3.
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